North Korean diplomat in Cuba flees to South Korea in highest-ranking envoy defection since 2016

South Korea's spy agency- the National Intelligence Service (NIS)- on Tuesday (July 16) said that a seniorNorth Korean diplomat based in Cuba fled to South Korea, becoming the highest-rankingNorth Korean diplomat to escape to the South since 2016.

According to theNIS,media reports on the defection of a North Korean counsellor of political affairs in Cuba were true. The spy agency refused to provide further details.

Citing South Korean media, a report by the news agency Associated Press on Tuesday said that the diplomat, identified asRi Il Kyu, fled to South Korea with his wife and children in November last year.

Why the defection?

Speaking to local media, Ri said he decided to defect to the Southbecause of what he called disillusionment with North Korea’s political system, an unfair job evaluation by Pyongyang’s foreign ministry, and the ministry’s disapproval of his hopes to visit Mexico to treat his neural damage.

Ri added thathospitals in Cuba didn’t have the necessary medical equipment to treat his health problem due to international sanctions.

The diplomat's defection came just months before Cuba and South Korea established diplomatic ties in February.

Areport byChosun Ilbo newspaper said thatRi had been engaged in efforts to block Cuba from opening diplomatic ties with South Korea until his defection.

An unusual move

Seoul has said that the number of highly educated North Koreans with professional jobs escaping to South Korea has steadily increased in recent years. But it was unusual fora member of the North’s ruling elite to come to South Korea.

Before Ri,Tae Yongho, then a minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, defected to South Korea in 2016. Tae told reportershe decided to flee because he didn’t want his children to live “miserable” lives in North Korea.

Tae said another reason for his defection was that he fell into despairafter watching North Korean leader Kim Jong Unexecute officials and pursue the development of nuclear weapons.

(With inputs from agencies)